Rural-delivery mail-box.



PATENTBD MAR. 28, 1905.

W. CLEMENT.

RURAL DELIVERY MAIL BOX.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 8, 1904.

: iuneutur -4 5 M gunning section thereof.

No. 785,71Q.

Patented Maren 28, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

IVALTER CLEMENT, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

RU HAL-DELIVERY MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,714, dated March28, 1905.

Application filed August 8, 1904. Serial No. 219,843.

To alt w/wm, if; may concern/.-

Be it known that I, l/VALTER CLEMENT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Adrian, county of Lenawee, State of Michigan, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Rural-Delivery Mail-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in arural-delivery mail-box; and the invention consists of the construction,combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described andclaimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a view in perspective of the completed box. Fig. 2 is a view in planof a blank sheet of metal from which the body of the box is constructed.Fig. 3 is a cross section through the box. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal Fig.5 is a blank from which the signal device is constructed. Fig. 6 showsthe same bent into required form. Fig. 7 shows the signal device inlowered position.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a mail-box of thisclass of superior and economical construction and to form the body ofthe box of a single piece of sheetmetal.

My invention also includes the general structure and arrangement of thedevice.

I carry out my invention as follows:

Referring to Fig. 2, showing the blank from which the body of the box isshaped, the same is formed with a bottom portion a and two side portions6 Z). Each of the extremities of the blank are slitted, as indicated at(Z, thereby forming end portions 6 e, projecting in the blank from thebottom portion a, and end portionsfg,which project, respectively, in ablank from the extremities of the corresponding side portions 6 b. Theprojections f g at each end of the blank are cut away at their outeredges on an angle, as indicated at it, leaving outwardly-projectingshoulders at the inner extremities of the lateral end portions.

The lateral edges of the side portions 6 6 thus extend beyond the innerangles of the cut-away portions the width of said shoulders, as shown,such lateral projections being indicated at d and f. In forming the bodyof the box the portions 6 6, connected with the base, are folded inward,so as to project in a vertical plane along the dotted lines indicated bythe numerals 1. The side portions 7) bare bent upward in a verticalplane along dotted lines indicated by the numerals 2 2. The bendingupward of the side portions Z) Z; obviously brings the portions f g atthe extremities of the portions L i) into vertical planes, the portionsf 0 then being bent over the upturned ends a e and secured thereto, asby rivets 7c. hen the various parts have been upturned, as abovedescribed, the edges '11 and y' are turned over upon theinside of thebox to leave smooth upper side edges of the box, the portions 7; j beingbent over along the dotted lines indicated at 3 and at. The portions f gare bent over the portions 6 along the dotted lines indicated at 5 and 66.

The cover (indicated at Z) is formed of a single piece of sheet metalbent intermediate its lateral edges to form a ridge, (indicated at 2a,)the cover portions being also struck up to form end flanges, (indicatedat n,) and corresponding lateral flanges, (indicated atp.) The cover maybe hinged on one side of the box in any suitable manner. As shown, therear side of the box is provided with loops, (indicated at (1,) thecorresponding flange of the cover being slotted, as at 7', to engagesaid loops. Any suitable means may be employed for locking the device.As shown, one of the flanges p of the cover is formed with an orifice,as indicated at s, and a portion of the inwardly-turned rim j isslitted, as at z, and turned outwardly and downwardly to form a staple,as indicated at t, the same also being formed with an orifice, asindicated at a, the lock passing through the orifices s and u, asindicated more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. One of the endsof the box may be slotted to form an opening, as indicated at r, for theinsertion of letters into the box, an oscillatory indicatorarm fallingdown, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, to cover said opening, saidarm when in upright position serving as an indicator in a well-knownmanner. This indicator-arm is made, in accordance with my invention. ina novel manner. As shown in the drawings, a blank in Fig. 6 is shown atthe numeral 9, formed with a projection indicated by the numeral 10,said projection in the completed arm being bent at essentially rightangles to the face of the arm, as indicated at Fig. 6. \V hen the signalis up, as indicated in Fig. 1, the projection or flange 10 forms a stopto limit the upward movement of the arm, sai d flange resting againstthe lower edge of the adjacent flange of the cover, thereby preventingthe signal-arm from going over too far. In Fig. 7 the arm is shown inposition to close the orifice w, in which position the projection orflange 10 has its upper edge contacting with the lower edge of theadjacent flange of the cover, whereby the arm is stopped from droppingdown too far. By construct- 1ng said arm with a flange or projection 10,bent at essentially right angles to the face of the arm, the signal-armis thus held in its up per and lower position and prevented from movingtoo far in either direction in a very simple manner. The signal-arm ispivotally connected with the cover, as indicated by the numeral 11.

To form the cover from a single piece of sheet metal, it is obvious thatthe extremities of the sheet will need to be slitted intermediate theirends, as at a, and at the outer corners thereof, as at y.

In the construction of my device I contemplate galvanizing the coverafter being cut and bent in proper form, the galvanizing of the samelilling all open joints or slits, so that the same are properly closedup and made tight against the weather, no open seams remaining. Myinvention will now be understood.

\Vhatl claim as my invention is- 1. A mail-box having the body thereofformed of a single piece of sheet metal havmg a base, side, and endportions, said body having its sides upturned to form the sides of thebox, and its end portions upturned to form overlapping ends of the box,substantially as shown and described, said end portions formed withslits therebctween, the lateral end portions being cut away at an angleat the outer lateral edges thereof.

2. A mail box having the body thereof formed of a single piece of sheetmetal havmg a base, side, and end portions, said body having its sidesupturned to form the bottom and sides of the box, the extremities of thebottom portion of the box bent upward, and the extremities of the sidesof the box bent over the extremities of the bottom portion and formingoverlapping ends of the box, and means to secure the overlapping ends ofthe box together substantially as shown, said end portions formed withslits therebctween, the

I l l lateral end portions being cut away at an angle atthe outerlateral edges thereof.

3. A blank of sheet metal for forming the body of a mail-box, said blankslitted at its ends to form intermediate portions projecting from thecentral portions of the blank, and to form lateral end portionsprojecting from the marginal portions of the blank, said lateral endportions cut away at an angle at the outer lateral edges thereof, thebody of the blank projecting laterally at each side beyond the innerangles of said cut-away portions to form turnover portions at the upperside edges of the box.

at. A blank of sheet metal for forming a mail-box, said blank slitted atits opposite ends to form intermediate portions projecting from thecentral portion of the blank, and to form lateral end port-ionsprojecting from the marginal portions of the blank, said lateral endportions cut away at an angle at the outer lateral edges thereof, thebody of the blank projecting laterally at each side beyond the innerangles of said cut-away portions to form turnover portions at the upperside edges of the box.

5. A mail box having the body thereof formed of a single piece of sheetmetal having a base, side, and end portions, said body having its sidesupturned to form the bottom and sides of the box, the extremities of thebottom portion of the box bent upward, and the extremities of the sidesof the box cut away at an angle at the outer lateral edges thereof andbent over the extremities of the bottom portion and forming overlappingends of the box,

and means to secure the overlapping ends of the box together, the bodyof the blank projecting laterally at each side beyond the inner anglesof the cut-away portions to form turnover portions at the upper sideedges of the box.

6. The combination with amail-box having the body thereof formed with anopening to receive the mail, and provided with a flanged cover of anindicator-arm, pivotall y connected with the flange of the cover, saidarm constructed with a flange projecting at essentially right angles tothe face of the arm, said flange engaging the under edge of the flangeof the cover to prevent the arm beingthrown too far in either direction.

7. A metal box having an opening to receive the mail and provided with aflanged cover having in combination therewith an in dicator armpivotally connected with the flange of the cover, said arm provided witha flange extending essentially at right angles to the face of the arm,the upper edge of the flange contacting with the under edge of theflange of the cover to limit the downward movement of the arm, and aface of the flange engaging the under edge of the flange of the IIO . Intestimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subsenb- IO ing witnesses.

WALTER CLEMENT.

Witnesses:

HORACE A. TREAT, ALANSON B. TREAT.

